North Carolina mom gets back into her "skinny clothes"

When your pre-baby weight is a not-so-distant memory, it can be great motivation to get back to what you once weighed. With clothes in the closet that once fit, and pictures proving it wasn't a dream, shedding the baby weight becomes a reachable goal, rather than a dreadful chore. That was exactly the motivation new mom Erin Crouse needed.

Although Erin didn't struggle with weight as a child, she fluctuated a bit after her marriage. She made wise food choices, but she overate at most meals. Despite her healthy diet, portion control was not something she knew how to get a grip of.

After the birth of her son, Landon, in April 2007, 173-pound Erin was determined to get back to her pre-baby weight of 140 pounds. She ate healthy foods and exercised as often as possible, walking at any chance she got. The first 20 pounds came off immediately, but then the scale was stuck.

Erin struggled to shed the pounds for a year, but nothing worked. She was set to be the maid of honor in her brother-in-law's wedding, and with Landon's first birthday quickly approaching, Erin knew it was time to get help with weight loss. So in March 2008, she joined her local Hickory, N.C., L A Weight Loss center.

For Erin, L A Weight Loss was a stab in the dark. She had heard good things, but didn't know anyone personally who had been on the program. Her trust was in the hands of her counselor. Erin admits the first couple of days were an adjustment, but after she became comfortable with the program, she realized she was eating more than she had before the program, and weight was coming off easily.

Soon after starting the program though, Erin was diagnosed with subacute cutaneous Lupus, and was put on a steroid medication with a common side effect of weight gain. Despite this possible setback, Erin kept her spirits high, and continued to see the pounds disappear as she worked with the L A Weight Loss program.

By May of this year, Erin's weight dropped down to 150 pounds, just in time for the wedding. Now Erin enjoys the healthy foods she loves, but knows how to control her portions. She loves high-fiber cereal with nuts and milk for breakfast, and grilled chicken with veggies for dinner. In between she eats yogurt, fruits, vegetables, and L A Lite bars for healthy snacks.

Erin's lost a total of 35 pounds, and feels great at her new weight of 138 pounds. She feels more confident and loves the response she's gotten from friends and family. Her husband now calls her "skinny mini!"

To celebrate her new weight, Erin's gone shopping ... in her closet! The "skinny" clothes that were once daunting are now her daily wardrobe. And Erin says it feels great to be able to buy whatever she wants when she does go shopping for something new.

Plus, her lower weight means more energy. Good thing Erin is getting her fill of exercise chasing after her son. Congratulations, Erin! You look great!

Here is Erin in March at 173 pounds:



And here she is looking slender at 138 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Erin Crouse
Hometown: Hickory, N.C.
Age: 29
Height: 5'7"

Starting weight: 173 pounds
Goal weight: 138 pounds
Current weight: 138 pounds
Program start date: March 2008

Favorite food: Popcorn.

Biggest temptation: Sweets, especially ice cream.

Biggest motivator: Seeing the scale go down and the supportive girls in her office.

Biggest obstacle: Taking a steroid notorious for weight gain.

Old eating philosophy: Limiting food, eating lots of salad, and not eating the right way.

New eating philosophy: Eating more frequently and having a larger variety of foods.

Best thing about losing weight: Loving that she's feel like her old self again.

Best weight loss secret learned: Eating smaller meals and snacks is a great way to keep your metabolism going.